Saturday, September 30, 2017

George "Yiorgio" Pantas recently interviewed James J. Dillon for "The Flagship", a military newspaper in eastern Virginia. The interview took place a few days before a VCW show in Suffolk, VA. We posted PART ONE of the interview back on 9/14

Check out this next part of the interview with the Leader of the Four Horsemen about once wrestling David Crockett, his thoughts on the "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, his favorite version of the Four Horsemen, working for Vince McMahon Sr., and more.

Piper and Brisco feuded with each other over a great deal of 1982 and this match, which aired right around the 4th of July holiday, was the zenith of that great feud.

It was a tremendous match that led to a great celebration by Piper lying in the floor of the TV studio hugging his belt. Piper made it seem like that belt meant more to him than anything the world. That's the way you elevate a championship.

Thanks as always to Mike Simmerman for the very cool photos of his figures collection.

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Tony & Bug take their place in the Mid-Atlantic Gateway Museum, safely ensconced
between the United States Championship belt and Blackjack Mulligan's famous cowboy hat.

The Gwinnett Braves recently honored Tony Schiavone and his dog Bug with their very own bobblehead doll, given away to the first 2,500 fans that attended the Gwinnett Braves baseball game at Coolray Field back on August 26. It was part of a "National Dog Day" at the park where fans could bring their pets to the game as well.

Schiavone is the play-by-play radio voice of the Gwinnett Braves, the triple-A club of the Atlanta Braves, and a bit of a celebrity in the Atlanta area not only because of his association with G-Braves baseball, but also for his long history as the voice of World Championship Wrestling on WTBS and TNT in the 1980s and 1990s.

Like us, Tony was a big fan of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling growing up and so we've given his baseball bobblehead its special spot in the Mid-Atlantic Gateway Museum, even though he's not wearing that sweet navy blazer with the "JCP Sports" emblem on it.

A Tony Schiavone bobblehead. Who would have thunk it?

Coolest. Bobblehead. Ever.

Image from Jared Wallis/YouTube https://youtu.be/LZZILH-fZOI

Check out Tony's huge interview about his days as a fan of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

On a recent episode of "The JJ Dillon Show" podcast (mlwradio.com), JJ and co-host Rich Bocchini discussed the infamous incident in October of 1986 where the Four Horsemen jumped Dusty Rhodes in the parking lot of Jim Crockett Promotions on Briarbend Drive in Charlotte. That ambush left the American Dream with a broken arm as he prepared for a big steel cage tag-team battle with the Horsemen that weekend in Charlotte.

Dusty got the inspiration for this scene where he is tied to Klondike Bill's ring truck
from Marlon Brando in the movie "One Eyed Jacks."

As it played out, the Horsemen, in two separate vehicles, followed an unsuspecting Rhodes in his little red convertible to the offices of Jim Crockett Promotions where they attacked Rhodes in the parking lot, beat him down, and tied him to a ring-truck, arms stretched out as if he were to be crucified.

One of the most often-discussed moments in that big angle was when Dusty cried out three famous words just before the Horsemen smashed his right hand with a baseball bat - -"Make it good!"

There was much discussion by fans at the time suggesting this was Rhodes' exposed attempt to verbally direct the action in the skit taking place that he was a part of. But JJ maintains that wasn't the case.

"There were critics that didn't like Dusty," Dillon told Bocchini, "who said, 'Oh, there's Dusty, he had to let everyone know that he was orchestrating everything' - - which was not true."

JJ explained that it all had to do with Dusty's fondness for the cinema. Especially westerns.

"Dusty was somebody who loved the movies," Dillon said. "and he loved seeing moments in a movie and re-creating those moments. And one of those moments was in the movie 'One Eyed Jacks' where Marlon Brando was this gunslinger who was terrorizing this town."

In the movie, Marlon Brandon's character Rio had been betrayed by partner and fellow-outlaw "Dad" Longworth (portrayed by Karl Malden) following a bank robbery the two had committed together. Many years later, Longworth had become Sheriff, and when Rio returns to town to confront Longworth, Rio is captured, tied to a hitching post and whipped. But the worst blow of all was still yet to come.

Rio, barely able to speak, tells Longworth, "You better kill me." His meaning was that after all you've done to me - - you've betrayed me, you've whipped me - - you might as well kill me. Because if you don't, I'll be back to kill you.

But Longworth says killing him isn't necessary. He picks up his rifle and smashes it down on Rio's right hand, the hand this gunslinger used to draw and shoot his gun. Without the use of that right hand, he would be no threat to anyone.

JJ said it is this scene that Rhodes was channeling in the angle with the Horsemen. Rhodes was telling the Horsemen that if you are going to try and take me out, you better make it good.

In Dusty's recreation of the scene in "One Eyed Jacks" with the Horsemen, the rifle became Ole's baseball bat, and the hitching post became one of Klondike Bill's ring trucks. The Horsemen tied him to the truck, and you hear Ole telling JJ to make sure his paid cameraman zooms in close. Even though Rhodes was tied to the truck, Ole and Arn held him still as Tully Blanchard wielded the blow of the baseball bat on Rhodes' right hand.

Make it good. You better kill me.

It was a bit of revenge for Blanchard in particular, who was on crutches due to an earlier injury from a match in Greensboro when Rhodes refused to release a figure-four leg lock.

At the very end of the video tape of the Horsemen angle, you hear JJ Dillon tell Dusty, "I want this to serve as a warning, Rhodes. We'll see you tomorrow night in Charlotte, you cripple!"

In the movie "One Eyed Jack," Marlon Brando warns Karl Malden he'd better kill him. But Malden chose not to do so and at the end of the movie, his drawing hand healed, Brando returns to kill Malden in a final showdown.

And even though Rhodes had warned the Horsemen to "make it good", they didn't make it good enough. The next night in Charlotte, Ole and JJ Dillon (substituting for the injured Blanchard) entered the cage in Charlotte. Rhodes, his right hand and arm in a cast, introduced his mystery partner - - - Nikita Koloff. The hated "Russian Nightmare" had joined the "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes to battle the Four Horsemen in the wake of Magnum T.A.'s career-ending automobile accident. The huge crowd in Charlotte loved it. It wound up being the most dramatic and emotional moment of the year.

VIDEO: The Horsemen ambush Dusty Rhodes

VIDEO: The complete 1961 movie "One Eyed Jacks" starring Marlon Brando
and Karl Mauldin. Clicking this link will take you directly to the scene in the movie that
Dusty Rhodes used as inspiration for his angle with the Four Horsemen.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

A few weeks back we started posting some pages from old wrestling magazines in a series we call "Magazine Memories." This time, it's "Rowdy" Roddy Piper being featured, proudly holding above his head the United States Heavyweight Championship he won from Greg Valentine on 4/16/83 in Greensboro, NC. The photograph was taken by Eddie Cheslock, who was a regular photographer for the "Apter" wrestling magazines of that era. He shot in Richmond, Norfolk, and Greensboro, as well as many other smaller towns in between. (See another Piper photo by Cheslock, battling Ric Flair, in an earlier post in the Magazine Memories series.)

Note: Only the first page of the story is posted. You have to use your imagination to finish it out! More "Magazine Memories to come."

In a professional wrestling career that has stretched from the mid 1960s to the present, Amarillo Texas’ favorite son Terry Funk has done it all. And while Terry was never a regular performer in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, he nevertheless played a major role in one of the biggest events in the long and illustrious history of Jim Crockett Promotions. When United States Heavyweight Champion Johnny Valentine was badly injured in the horrific plane crash in October of 1975, a spectacular one night tournament was held at the Greensboro Coliseum to crown a new champion on November 9, 1975. Terry defeated Paul Jones that night in the tournament finals to become the new titleholder.

On Thanksgiving night 1975 Paul Jones came back to dethrone Funk, but Terry would quickly rebound and ace the NWA World’s Heavyweight Title on December 10, 1975 in Miami, Florida by beating Jack Brisco. Then during 1976 the “Funker” had terrific World Title bouts in the Mid-Atlantic area against top challengers Paul Jones and Wahoo McDaniel.

This weekend Terry returns to the Carolinas as part of two gigantic wrestling events hosted by Big Time Wrestling. On Friday night September 22nd at Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina and the following evening at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium Funk will team with the Rock and Roll Express to battle the Memphis Mafia led by Jerry Lawler in main event action of two star studded shows. In this interview Terry looks back at his time wrestling for Jim Crockett Promotions, particularly in and around the time he was the NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion. Funk talks about the glory days of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling of the early and mid 1970s, and his return this weekend to two historic Mid-Atlantic Wrestling venues that will be bursting with excitement much like the old days!

DAVID CHAPPELL: Terry, thank you for visiting with the Mid-Atlantic Gateway today. Everybody’s delighted to have you coming back to the Carolinas on Friday and Saturday this week for the Big Time Wrestling shows at Raleigh’s Dorton Arena and at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium.

TERRY FUNK: It’s my pleasure being with you. [Promoter] Tony Hunter helped out a little bit getting me back to the Carolinas!

Chappell: I’m sure!

Funk: He did. He’s a good man.

Chappell: He really is. With your coming back to the Carolinas this week, do you have any recollections of your earliest experiences of wrestling in Jim Crockett Promotions or the Mid-Atlantic area?

Funk: Yeah I do. I came in there on a couple of different occasions to wrestle the number one contender when my brother was [World] champion.

Chappell: Dory Funk, Jr. had a heck of a World Title run from early 1969 to the middle of 1973.

Funk: I remember wrestling Jerry Brisco a couple of times late in Junior’s [World Title] run. It was in Greensboro and it was packed. Lots of top stars! Had a couple of wonderful nights there. They were great crowds, ecstatic! They were and still are, ecstatic about wrestling.

Chappell: The Greensboro Coliseum had some of the greatest cards in the business back then. That building was like the Madison Square Garden of the Southeast!

Funk: The Southeastern coast; that was the best of the wrestling world from Florida to the Carolinas. They had great promoters at that time. They had promoters that had visions; they had visions of what wrestling could be. They certainly did a wonderful job of managing their promotions.

Chappell: For sure...

Funk: Yeah, whenever Junior was champion, I’d come in there and wrestle the top contender. And it was just phenomenal! We’d go into Greensboro and sell it out, you know? You know, 17,000.

The old sign out by the Greensboro Coliseum (1988)
(Before expansion) Photo by Dick Bourne

Chappell: The Greensboro Coliseum was Crockett’s largest venue, so there were some monster attendance numbers for sure. And Greensboro was where a lot of big national stars were brought in and showcased, such as yourself.

Funk: Oh, Greensboro was huge! Like you said, that’s the one place you could compare with the Garden and it did compare with the Garden.

And the number one territory in the United States at that time was the Crockett territory, and the Crockett promotion. They were the number one promotion and the number one territory. And some amazing wrestlers that were down there, came out of there. And they were wrestlers that I respected so very much, you know? It was just a great area; a thriving area!

Chappell: No doubt about it! Now, a great friend of the Mid-Atlantic Gateway, one of your longtime friends, Terry….

Funk: (laughs) Uh-oh, that sounds bad!

Chappell: (laughs) No, not at all!

Funk: I have lots of crazy friends!

Chappell (laughs) Well, when this one found out that I’d be talking to you today he wanted me to take you back to the U.S. Title Tournament in November of 1975 in Greensboro. He said when I talked to you today, that he wanted me to let you know that he let you win on November 9th in the finals of the tournament and then a couple of weeks later on Thanksgiving night, he kicked your ass!

Funk: (laughs) Oh my God, Paul Jones!

Chappell: Mr. Number One!

Funk: That was a huge couple of weeks. I got, honest to God; I got goose bumps when you were telling me about Paul and those Greensboro shows with him. It was pretty amazing, yeah! Great guy, wonderful in-ring performer. He was a great opponent…Paul Jones.

Chappell: Terry, can you describe the atmosphere in Greensboro for those two epic battles with Paul in November of 1975?

Funk: It was phenomenal, David! Like I said, it was the greatest wrestling in the United States. And that’s no bullshit. It was in the Carolinas. And that’s where the greatest wrestlers in the country gathered. And I’m not saying that’s where ... I would like to rephrase that. That’s where the great ones gathered because, boy, if you didn’t have any talent, you weren’t going to be on that card. You know, on any card that came out of the Carolinas it was the best and that’s just the God’s honest truth about it. It was the number one place to be in the United States at that time.

Chappell: When you say the number one place, do you mean based on the talent level that was there, or who you worked with at that time, or was it the people that booked it or the owners or a combination of all of those things?

Funk: It was based on the talent and the promotion, to the means of getting to the towns right on down the line to the pay. I mean it was the cream of the crop that came to the Carolinas. And that’s for certain. Just the greatest bunch of wrestlers in the world. I mean, look back at it ... Steamboat, Flair, McDaniels; you go all the way back to Johnny Weaver and that bunch. And oh my God, the great tag teams like the Scotts and the Andersons! I mean, my God!

Chappell: A who’s who of professional wrestling, no doubt.

Terry Funk
NWA World Champion

Funk: It was the hotbed for professional wrestling! And believe me; the competition was great out there because you had great competitors like Paul Jones. It was so good because the guys you were out there with were so competitive in the ring. And you know, I mean, they were such characters on television!

Chappell: Oh my God, yes!

Funk: Not just characters, but bigger than life figures.

Chappell: No question about it, I mean you’ve really hit the nail on the head there Terry because you know particularly back in that time frame in the Carolinas where you didn’t have major league sports teams, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling was our major league sport!

Mid-Atlantic Wrestling was king!

Funk: It was the place to be!

Chappell: And the Mid-Atlantic towns you know, weren’t the biggest towns in the country either, so that says a lot that the money was so good.

Funk: They were drawing huge numbers percentage wise. They were drawing a better percentile than anybody in the nation. And at that time I mean, where else could you go seven days a week and you go to a sell-out every night?

Chappell: That’s very true….

Funk: It was a heyday of wrestling in my era, and it was the place to be!

Chappell: For sure!

Funk: It was the heyday of wrestling...I want to explain one more thing.

Chappell: Sure, please do.

Funk: One more little thing, David. Back then, you had the Oklahoma territory. You had the Carolinas. You had Florida. You had the Canadian territories. You had the Texas territories. You had the Arizona territories. You had all of the different territories, about 30 of them at the time. And it was the ones that paid the most money was where the talent went. And the one that drew the most money could pay the most money.

And that area was the Carolinas. It was just phenomenal. And Flair was there, and Mulligan was there and on and on and on and on and on. Just from the top to the bottom to the prelims. And the fans would come out there, and they would get their money’s worth.

Chappell: It was the golden era, there’s no doubt about it.

Funk: It was the golden place.

Chappell: Yeah, in more ways than one!

Funk: Yes, it was. It was a golden place for the guys.

Chappell: And even though you weren’t a Mid-Atlantic regular, the Crockett territory factored into your ascension to the World Title. You beat Paul Jones in the Greensboro tournament, two weeks later dropped the U.S. belt to Paul, and then two weeks after that won the NWA World Title from Jack Brisco!

Funk: It was all in two weeks time, that’s right. I went ahead and I wrestled Paul Jones down there in Greensboro and he beat me. And then two weeks later, I substituted for my brother and I went to Miami and defeated Brisco. It was all in one short period of time.

Chappell: It sure was. It was bang, bang, bang and you were all of a sudden the World Champion! When you came back to the Crockett territory in 1976 as the World Champion, I remember some really hot matches you had with Paul and Wahoo. Do you remember any of those championship matches?

Funk: Oh, absolutely!

Chappell: What stood out to you?

Funk: The crowds were ecstatic…every time I went into the Carolinas. It wasn’t me.

Chappell: Well, I think you had a lot to do with it Terry!

Funk: From the first match to the last match it was intense. And I tell you what, if you were on that last match, you had better be ready to get your ass in the ring and do something special because they had seen it all!

Chappell: The whole cards were stacked.

Funk: They were stacked. And every match was trying to steal that show!

Chappell: That’s right, I mean and it was just sort of lightning in a bottle back then. We’ve talked about Paul Jones a little bit, but what about Wahoo? Do you have any memories of him in the Carolinas as far as being an opponent for your title?

Funk: Wahoo was something else! What he did in Odessa, Texas was unbelievable. Again, you got a crazy Indian that was crazier than any other Indian that there ever was. I’m talking about from Geronimo on, you know? He really was. He was just crazy. I’ll tell you that. I mean, he did the craziest things in the world, you know? Wahoo was Wahoo and he was a tremendous athlete, really a tremendous athlete. What he did in football was phenomenal. He was a wonderful football player for the Jets and a superstar for them and wrestling at the same time. And I don’t think that’s ever happened since then.

Chappell: There’ll never be another Wahoo will there? Nothing even close. They broke the mold when they made him!

Funk: I just loved that guy so much. There was no other mold like him. There’ll never be another Wahoo. Wahoo was nuts. Yeah, Wahoo could definitely drive 120 miles per hour. All the way from one town to the next. Wahoo always went 120 miles an hour…in his car, in his life, in everything.

Chappell: (laughs) And did it every night and lived to tell about it!

Funk: (laughs) Lived to tell about it ...that’s exactly right.

Chappell: I don’t know how you all went 120 miles per hour 24/7!

Funk: And lived to tell about it. Wow.

Chappell: Hearing about all the stuff that y’all did in the ring and out of the ring, it’s just amazes me, but you came out of it, you know?

Funk: (pauses) Just talking about those people, you know, from the past. Sitting here with tears in my eyes.

Chappell: It just amazes me Terry…we’ve been doing the Gateway website for 17 years now. The incredible legacy that y’all have left with people. You know, it’s still so real to everybody all these years later. I’m not sure you realize how special you were to a whole generation of folks. But it’s real. We’ve seen it for 17 years doing this website, you know?

Funk: Well, the two most remembered things in the Carolinas are probably the Civil War and the Crockett Wrestling.

Chappell: (laughs) I don’t think you’re off base at all there!

Funk: (laughs) I don’t either!

Chappell: Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling fans wish we would have seen more of you over the years, but it was really special when you made the trips in.

Funk: Well, you know, I was up here in the Amarillo area…I just love my home up here. And it was always great to come into the Carolinas, it wasn’t a gift, but it was a wonderful place to go because I knew I wasn’t going to get a $25 payoff

Chappell: (laughs) And you probably wouldn’t have minded staying around a little longer!

Funk: Well, that’s exactly right!

Chappell: Some of those other territories didn’t pay quite so well!

Funk: (laughs) I’m not going to knock any of them.

Chappell: (laughs) No, no, we’re not going down that road, but I know what you’re saying.

Funk: Okay, I know that. I loved them all. I loved every minute of being champion. I loved every minute. But it was special when you came to the Carolinas, no bullshit. No bullshit to you there.

Chappell: And we felt the same way when you came in…it was a big, big deal. When Terry Funk came in and particularly when you came in as a World Champion, it was you know a can’t miss event to come to.

Funk: And David you know my brother ... he was a phenomenal champion.

Chappell: Oh yes, absolutely no question about that!

Funk: For so many years.

Chappell: And we were really fortunate to see him in the Mid-Atlantic area, you know more down into the early 80s when he came in and really stayed a while. That was terrific!

Funk: Yeah, yeah!

Chappell: Now, Terry, you’re going to be in Raleigh at Dorton Arena and at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium this weekend. Do those historic Mid-Atlantic Wrestling venues, which are still obviously up and running, come back to you memory-wise? Or is it sort of just a general Carolinas type recollection?

Funk: Carolinas… Carolinas!

Chappell: Yeah, I understand!

Funk: The whole week was special.

Chappell: Yeah, the whole Mid-Atlantic loop that you used to make.

Funk: You know, I really mean that. I mean it was just ... it was a hotbed. Raleigh and Spartanburg were hot towns, but really it was the Carolinas. It didn’t matter what night you were there. It was the Carolinas. You know, it was just the place to be.

Chappell: Do you have a…

Funk: (laughs) And the beer was reasonable too!

Chappell: (laughs) Always an important consideration! Do you have a particular story or recollection specific to the Carolinas that maybe folks wouldn’t have heard about before that you can share with us?

Funk: (laughs) Just that Wahoo McDaniels was the nuttiest guy in the world!

Chappell: (laughs)

Funk: Wahoo, he was a man of action there. On the road, he drove 120 miles an hour, always kept a gun underneath his front seat, always shooting it out the window!

Chappell: (laughing) Wahoo with a gun…now that’s scary!

Funk: (laughs) I would hate to be a deer on the road if Wahoo was coming down there!

Chappell: He was 120 miles an hour at everything he did, wasn’t he?

Funk: He was…he was a wild! I tell you what; he was a character and a wonderful one.

Chappell: Yeah, we were lucky to have him. Wahoo put down roots and kind of hung around the Carolinas for quite some time. That made it really special for Mid-Atlantic fans.

Funk: Oh, God, that was wonderful. Yeah, then you had the superstar of all times…

Chappell: Yeah, I mean Ric sort of stayed around the Mid-Atlantic area as well…

Funk: (laughs) How’d you know that? How’d you know who I was talking about?

Chappell: (laughs) I had a sneaky suspicion!

Funk: There’ve been 5,000 wrestlers that you’ve heard their names through the years and whenever I said superstar…it was Ric Flair. How did you know which one I was talking about?

Chappell: Yeah, his name sort of comes to the top of that list!

Funk: He was a great star in the world of wrestling, a great character. Just a wonderful guy, you know. I can remember him, before he ever started in wrestling. I was here in Amarillo on my ranch, and Dick Murdock and Dusty Roads drove up here. And they just came out of the Minnesota territory. And they had this young kid, this young punk in the back seat with them. And, David, this is the God’s honest truth, they said, ‘Hey Terry, here’s this guy. He’s not in the business yet, but we want to go ahead and introduce him to you.’ And he got out of the car and he yelled ‘WOOOO’ about five times!

Chappell: (laughing) And you probably thought what the hell?!?

Funk: (laughs) That was it! What the hell? It was Flair. And that was before he got into the world of wrestling. He was riding around in a car, going to the towns with Dick Murdock and Dusty Roads and there could be nothing more dangerous than that.

Chappell: (Laughing) He got an education real quick didn’t he?

Funk: (laughs) Whew, whew! Did he ever get an education quick!

Chappell: It’s amazing he even came out of that to where he even got into the ring!

Funk: It’s amazing he lived through it!

Chappell: Wrestling was a piece of cake once he got through that sort of training camp with those two. I understand they had Ric driving them around and Dusty and Murdock would just ditch Ric and leave him in the sticks and Flair would have to find his way back to civilization!

Funk: (laughs) They would do that!

Chappell: That’s unbelievable.

Funk: (laughs)

Chappell: Yeah, I mean we were lucky that Wahoo is the one that sort of put Ric over to George Scott, you know back in ‘74. And he just stayed in the Carolinas, which for us was terrific.

Funk: God, y’all were lucky with that. He changed the entire identity of what the Carolinas were and the wrestling world.

Chappell: No question Terry.

Funk: He was a great one. And there were so many great ones that came out of the Carolinas. You know, and so many guys that I didn’t even have the chance to wrestle that often.

And you know, so many that are gone now. You know, that I just want to give them my best up in heaven there and tell them that, ‘Damn, I’m glad you came around, and glad you got into the ring with me. And glad you made me look so good in the ring with you.’

Chappell: And the fact that they came along and entertained us and made such a mark on our lives for all of us these many years later, I think says everything.

Funk: Yeah, I agree.

Chappell: Now, speaking of longevity…the “Funker” is going to actually be getting into the ring this weekend in Raleigh and Spartanburg! Can you tell us a little bit about what the fans can expect from the one and only Terry Funk?

Funk: I mean, David, I don’t know what they can expect…I don’t know. (laughs) I don’t know what to expect myself! You know? But you’re only as old as you feel, you know?

Chappell: (laughs)

Funk: (laughs) Yeah, I feel 105!

Chappell: (laughs) Well, it could be worse, you know? Some days I feel about 150!

Funk: Yeah, it could be worse. Yeah, I want to know ...do they have steps to that ring? They better have steps to that ring. You tell them to get some steps out there!

Chappell: (laughs) Tony Hunter, are you listening? Well, you have those young whippersnappers the Rock and Roll Express to help you out against Jerry Lawler and his Memphis Mafia in a six man tag team main event in both of the Carolinas venues this weekend! What battles they should be! Anything to tell the folks that are going to be coming out or thinking about coming out to see these events this weekend?

Funk: Well, I just hope they get the best from everybody. I hope they get a bang for their buck.

Chappell: I have no doubt that will be the case!

Funk: I think that’s the most important thing is that each one of them gets a bang for their buck. And that’s what they deserve.

Chappell: Well, you’ve been providing those bangs for so many years. I think I speak for everybody in the Carolinas, Virginia, the old Crockett territory, that having you coming back to these same old venues and doing it again is a dream come true.

Not only can you see Terry Funk in the ring this weekend, but the fans will have autograph and photo opportunities with a true wrestling legend. What a happening for the fans!

Funk: You know, I’m going to tell you something David. It’s just going to be a happening. It definitely is. It’s not going to be a happening for the fans so much. It’s going to be a happening for me. I really mean that. I love seeing them and being around them and talking the old times, just like I talked with you.

And stepping in that ring and possibly making a fool of myself. I don’t know why. I hope not.

Chappell: You will entertain us like you always have in the ring…the passing of years won’t change that!

Funk: I hope not!

Chappell: Speaking of your entertaining the fans of the Mid-Atlantic area, I remember when you came back to Jim Crockett Promotions as the World Champion in the Spring of 1976 and you and Wahoo had a TV match in the WRAL studios in Raleigh. David Crockett kept yelling that it was ‘Christmas early!’ And it really was!

You two just went at it on the floor, you know hammer and tongs, and you both ended up getting counted out by referee Tommy Young. And I still remember…

Funk: Physically beat the hell out of each other!

Chappell: Yes! You remember that?!

Funk: I remember that.

Chappell: Unbelievable!

Funk: It was just the Carolinas again, David. That’s why it was the way it was every time that I stepped in the ring because of the quality of the performers. Wahoo and all of them, and all of them through the years. And I wish that I had a few more times in the ring with Steamboat. I didn’t have that many times with Steamboat as I would have liked. What a great performer he was.

Chappell: Absolutely.

Funk: It was just ... I just loved the guys. All of them were characters. They were bigger than life characters.

Chappell: And you made a lifetime memory there for me Terry. That was in ‘76. We’re talking about 41 years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday.

Funk: (laughs) How can that be ... You don’t sound that old!

Chappell: (laughs) It must be the connection! But you know, stuff like that was so believable to a point that you still remember it 41 years later. That just says something about the quality of what y’all did.

Funk: You know, we loved what we did back then.

Chappell: Well, you had to have…to have that impact so many years later, you know?

Funk: But we had a love. But whenever you’re back there in the Carolinas like that, you have a love for your audience. You have a love for your fans. And that love is whether you are coming in there to stay or not. You consider a wrestling fan a wrestling fan is what I’m saying.

Chappell: Yeah, I see that.

Funk: And whenever you come there and you just see them all out there and see them all ecstatic, you want to perform for them. And you want to give them the very best you can. Again, I keep on saying the Carolinas, the Carolinas, the Carolinas. But it was. It was the place to be then.

Chappell: Well, we Mid-Atlantic fans are certainly partial to the Crockett product back then, but to hear you say it really puts a bow on it because it really was a pretty special time. I think we all feel collectively lucky to have been around when the lightning kind of got caught in the bottle and just took off.

Funk: Well, you all really did catch the lightning in a bottle.

Chappell: Yeah, and lucky to be there when it happened!

Funk: Because I don’t think there’s that lightning now. And I’m not trying to hurt anybody or talk bad about anything, but I think the lightning was different back then. Of course, I’m an old fart you know. Talking about my era, you gotta remember that!

Chappell: I’m the same way. I just think there are some things that you’ll just never recapture that way again. And that’s no disrespect at all to today’s product.

Funk: I think that’s part of it.

Chappell: Well, Terry, it’s been a real honor to speak with you and hear your thoughts about Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and your return to the area this weekend.

Funk: Oh, gosh, I’ve loved every second of it!

Chappell: Thank you sir.

Funk: You know, I’m going to tell you something David. The important thing about it is you’re bringing back memories before the WWE era…they are trying to purposefully eliminate all other things other than them.

Chappell: They do have the WWE Network now, but certainly a lot of that’s gone on.

Funk: They don’t even like using the names of the wrestlers from the past. They want everything different. They want to erase the past. And that was not a past that should be erased. Because it was what it was…I’m going to tell you something, it was the good times. And the good times for the fans. For us, for the wrestlers and for the fans, it was the good times.

Chappell: And speaking of good times, it’s been a great time talking with you. See you back in the Carolinas this weekend!

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Forty-two years ago today, on September 20, 1975, Ric Flair defeated Wahoo McDaniel in Hampton, VA, to win the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship. Despite Flair being a bonafide up-and-comer and already getting attention within the business from many different promoters, this was still considered an upset at the time, as no one figured Flair could really beat the veteran McDaniel.

Mid-Atlantic champ Ric Flair

But it did happen in the Hampton Coliseum, and it is considered Flair's first major singles championship win of his career. He had held the TV title earlier in the year, and had held the tag team titles earlier with his "uncle" Rip Hawk. But the Mid-Atlantic title was considered the top area championship. Wahoo had fought former champ Johnny Valentine for months and had finally won the title and had more credibility with fans in the Mid-Atlantic area than almost any other wrestler. He was certainly the most popular. Flair's victory over him put Flair permanently in the main events and set a hall-of-fame career in motion.

During the short-lived "Ric Flair Show" podcast, Ric and co-host Conrad Thompson would turn back the clock each week and look at a moment in Ric Flair's amazing career. The segment was sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Gateway and we provided many of the historical audio clips heard on the show.

Ric Flair and Conrad Thompson
"The Ric Flair Show" July 2016

The above audio excerpt is from one of those "This Week in History" segments which focused on this historic title win by Flair. The vintage audio clip during the segment is from "Wide World Wrestling" in 1975 hosted by Ed Capral, who reviews film of the Hampton match with Ric along for commentary. Ric and Conrad then discuss what the win meant to Flair and of course, Flair's reverence for Chief Wahoo McDaniel.

We miss "The Ric Flair Show." Producer and co-host Conrad Thompson did an amazing job in putting together a wonderful show full of fun and interesting features, our favorite being "This Week in History."

Thompson now hosts highly popular podcasts with Bruce Prichard ("Something to Wrestle") and Tony Schiavone ("What Happened When") on the MLW Radio Network. "What Happened When" this week features Tony Schiavone talking about his many years working with Ric Flair.

Flair beats Wahoo. And the rest was history. Great memories from "The Ric Flair Show" and the Mid-Atlantic Gateway!

Sunday, September 17, 2017

It is with great anticipation for wrestling fans in the Carolinas and vicinity that former NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion Terry Funk returns to the ring later this week in two historic venues of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Raleigh’s Dorton Arena on Friday night and the venerable Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium on Saturday night. The amazing “Funker,” 73 years young, will wrestle at both events in a six man tag team main event with Jerry “The King” Lawler leading the opposing trio.

When I think of Terry Funk and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, visions of the spectacular United States Heavyweight Title Tournament on November 9, 1975 in Greensboro, North Carolina come immediately to mind where Terry bested “Number One” Paul Jones in the tournament finals, and took the coveted U.S. belt back to Amarillo, Texas with him, to the chagrin of the Jim Crockett Promotions faithful.

However, Terry’s United States Title reign lasted only 18 days as Paul Jones brought the Title back to the Mid-Atlantic area in a magnificent rematch on Thanksgiving Day back in Greensboro. Undeterred, Funk came back with a vengeance and captured the World Title on December 10, 1975 defeating Jack Brisco in Miami, Florida. Funk’s ascension to the top of the wrestling world made Paul Jones the immediate number one contender for the World belt, as he only two weeks before had knocked Terry off in Greensboro and Paul could say with conviction that he had Funk’s number. And the great Chief Wahoo McDaniel was also lurking in the Mid-Atlantic area as a top challenger for the new Champion.

Terry returned to the Mid-Atlantic area with the World’s Heavyweight Championship in tow at the beginning of February 1976, and gave a memorable interview on the set of the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television show. “Fans, in every sport there’s one at the head of the class and in professional wrestling right now that man is Terry Funk, World’s Heavyweight Champion, and it’s a pleasure always to welcome the Champion to Mid-Atlantic Wrestling, Terry,” announcer Bob Caudle exclaimed.

Funk responded, “Bob, it’s certainly my pleasure being here. You know, it just amazed me how much three seconds could change a man’s life. And my life completely changed on December the 10th 1975 whenever I put Jack Brisco’s shoulders to the mat with an inside cradle. Immediately I was making $250,000.00 to $300,000.00 per year. Immediately, from being the hunter I became the hunted…by every top wrestler in professional wrestling today.”

Terry continued, “What does this belt mean to me? By golly, whenever I was five years old, I wasn’t like most kids; because most kids had a dream…they usually dreamed of being a doctor, a lawyer, a fireman or something like that. My father was a professional wrestler, and I dreamed of having this belt around my waist sometime. And I tell you what, two dreams came true because Dory Funk, Jr. became World’s Heavyweight Champion for four and a half years, then I went ahead and took the belt…now this is something in professional wrestling to have one family hold the belt.”

The Champion then turned his attention to the challenges facing him in Jim Crockett Promotions explaining, “Now, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling; my brother told me to stay away from this area. He said, ‘Terry, don’t go within that area because they do have the World’s greatest wrestlers down there. Call ‘em into the Texas panhandle, call ‘em into your home stomping grounds.’ I said Junior I’ll do my best to do that, but the Board of Directors of the National Wrestling Alliance, they force me to go into areas where sometimes I am wanted very much by top contenders. And the top contenders are Wahoo McDaniel, Paul Jones, on and on and on, the Andersons, they’re right here within this area. I’ll come within the lion’s den if it’s necessary, but I don’t really want to!”

There is no question that Terry Funk will put on a can’t miss performance when he steps into the ring later this week in Raleigh and Spartanburg, but his special appearances in the Carolinas in a few days will also spark great memories of Terry wrestling as NWA World’s Champion in 1976, stepping foot into the lion’s den he called Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling.

As you know if you have followed the Mid-Atlantic Gateway over the years, Les Thatcher is one of our favorites, both as a broadcaster and a wrestler. The following article was written by Mike Cline at the "Mid-Atlantic Grapplin' Greats" website, one of our favorite blogs here at the Mid-Atlantic Gateway. The article was originally published there as a four-part series. It is re-published here with Mike's kind permission and all in one post. It documents one of the most memorable angles from 1967 for Jim Crockett Promotions, and one of Thatcher's biggest matches ever in the area.

GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER were the top 'babyface' team in JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS for most of the 1960s.

J.C. DYKES and THE INFERNOS, on the flipside, were one of the top 'heel' teams during the late1960s.

"It was one of the highlights
of my entire career."

And, somehow, not by sheer happenings or fate, a twenty-seven year-old wrestler, who had recently been named the ROOKIE OF THE YEAR while working in the NWA Florida territory, found himself in the middle of a top JCP wrestling program that stretched over a nearly four month time frame.

This young man was LES THATCHER.

The year was 1967. It was the annual LABOR DAY WRESTLING card in CHARLOTTE, N.C., one of but a handful of shows held each year at the original CHARLOTTE COLISEUM on Independence Boulevard.

The main event that night featured BECKER and WEAVER going against THE INFERNOS, managed by J.C. DYKES. These two teams had a violent history, so the fans expected this match to be something special.

Folks who remember this bitter rivalry will recall that a central issue with THE INFERNOS was the 'loaded boot' that one of them wore. Time after time, the boot would come into play in their matches with the end result often being their opponents being kicked into oblivion, giving the masked men many victories.

GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER

THE INFERNOS with J.C. DYKES

BECKER and WEAVER had vowed to remedy this problem, themselves being previous victims of the boot. And, indeed, they did take action. On the night of July 1, 1967, in WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (and maybe in other towns as well), GEORGE and JOHNNY were successful in removing the boot from the foot of THE INFERNO who wore it. Each subsequent time the heroes had faced DYKES and his men, BECKER had worn the boot himself as an equalizer.

The Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte NC

The CHARLOTTE match started out as the fans had expected, which each team taking it to the other. Near the end of the first fall, referee ANGELO MARTINELLI was knocked down and shaken up, but able to make the count on the 'good guys', giving THE INFERNOS a one fall advantage.

ANGELO called for assistance. He couldn't continue. JCP employee GEORGE HARBEN went to the ring and rendered assistance to the injured MARTINELLI. After calling to the back for a replacement official, HARBEN learned that the other referees who had worked the card had already left the building.

LES THATCHER had already wrestled his match earlier and had already showered and changed to his street clothes. Seeing LES standing near the back of the arena, HARBEN signaled for THATCHER to come to the ring. After a brief discussion, LES removed his suit jacket and took over as the official for the remainder of the match.

Les Thatcher raises the hands of
George Becker and Johnny Weaver

Naturally, DYKES and THE INFERNOS protested, "He's a friend of BECKER and WEAVER. There's no way we will get a fair shake." The rantings and ravings fell on unsympathetic ears. THATCHER signaled for the bell, and the second fall began.

GEORGE and JOHNNY took fall number two, squaring the match.

The deciding fall immediately became hot and heavy. The end came quickly when one of the hooded heavies gave LES a shove. THATCHER got in the masked man's face, reminding him he was an official and was not to be touched. At this point, WEAVER 'schoolboyed' THE INFERNO, LES counted to three, and the match was over.

LES raised BECKER and WEAVER's hands in victory. GEORGE and JOHNNY left the ring, with LES closely behind them. But THATCHER was stopped by the sore losers who were claiming LES stole the match from them. A bit of a rhubard started, then suddenly THE INFERNOS grabbed the substitute referee, and J.C. DYKES incinerated THATCHER's face with a fireball.

LES hit the mat, rolling around, screaming in anguish. GEORGE and JOHNNY ran back into the ring, DYKES and THE INFERNOS ran out of the ring (their damage had been done). WEAVER wrapped a towel around THATCHER's face, and he and BECKER got LES back to the dressing room.

Weaver and Becker check on Les Thatcher after J.C. Dykes burned Les with a fireball.

Only time would tell how badly LES was injured and how long he would be out of action.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

PART TWO - WHAT THE PUBLIC DIDN'T SEE

LES THATCHER related to me that those participating in the CHARLOTTE COLISEUM main event of September 4, 1967 met at the CROCKETT office on Morehead Street that same morning.

Those present included LES, GEORGE BECKER (also the booker at the time), JOHNNY WEAVER, J.C. DYKES, both of THE INFERNOS (FRANKIE CAIN and ROCKY SMITH), GEORGE HARBEN, and 'BIG' JIM CROCKETT himself.

'BIG' JIM instructed HARBEN to make sure that by the time the main event started that evening, that all referees working the show (except ANGELO MARTINELLI, who was assigned the main event) were to be out of the building. This way no one would spot any other refs hanging around, thus spoiling credibility to HARBEN's ringside plea for LES to come to the ring to officiate the remainder of the match.

CROCKETT told LES to wear his very best suit and to be visible at the back of the COLISEUM arena, so word would reach LES to come to the ring when HARBEN called for him. "If your clothes get damaged or ruined during the match, I'll pay to replace them", CROCKETT would say.

Near the end of the first fall, referee MARTINELLI would be knocked down, injured, but able to count to three in favor of THE INFERNOS.

HARBEN would go to ANGELO's aid. Determining that the official could not continue, MARTINELLI would be helped to the dressing room. With no other ref available, HARBEN (without the use of a microphone) would call out for LES to come to the ring. The fans would actually become involved in the proceedings by relaying the message back to THATCHER, who then went to the ring and received instructions from HARBEN.

THATCHER would referee the second and third falls of the match, amidst the protests of DYKES and his two men. GEORGE and JOHNNY would even the match, winning the second fall. WEAVER would 'schoolboy' one of THE INFERNOS for the third fall victory. LES would raise GEORGE and JOHNNY's hands, who would then leave the ring and start for the dressing room.

RUDY KAY

LES was to drop back a bit, so before he could leave the ring, he would be accosted by the sore losers. A little scuffle would ensue climaxing with DYKES igniting THATCHER's face with a fireball. LES would hit the mat, screaming in pain, and BECKER and WEAVER would jump back into the ring. GEORGE was to run off the 'heels' (their dastardly deed fulfilled), and WEAVER (who had conveniently worn a towel around his neck for the match) would wrap it around the burnt younster's face and help him back to the dressing room.

Once inside the dressing room, LES wouldn't even take the time to change his clothes. He would cover his head and slip out the back of the COLISEUM, where RUDY KAY would be waiting in his automobile. LES would slouch down on the floorboard of the back seat, and RUDY was to quickly drive LES home to the THATCHER apartment.

One more detail to cover---the hired ambulance drivers who would be at the COLISEUM in case they would really be needed during the evening. WEAVER was assigned the task of telling the ambulance guys that THATCHER had a 'phobia' with ambulances, and that GEORGE and JOHNNY would take LES to the hospital themselves, thus relieving the medics of participating. The medical personnel could not be involved, in order to 'protect the business'.

"That's how meticulous the program was laid out...every detail was taken care of," LES said.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

PART THREE -SELLING THE PROGRAM

Safely back in his apartment, LES THATCHER kept a low profile for several days.

He did his own facial make-up to show the effects of the 'burning'. LES shaved off his left eyebrow, then used a coarse Turkish towel to rub up the skin around his eye to give it an irritated look. He applied what is known as 'New Skin' to the area to give his injured area a wrinkled effect, then painted the area with merbromin (household name: mercurochrome) and tinted Vicks Vapor Rub which gave an oozing appearance.

Then it was on to his bookings. For the time being, most would be in the general CHARLOTTE TV area as this was the target area for the 'burn' program. LES didn't wrestle for a couple of weeks, but instead appeared in all of his scheduled cities going into the ring, showing his burned face and explaining how the injury had occurred. (Before each appearance, 'BIG' JIM CROCKETT personally instructed LES to what degree he was to reduce the size of the 'burn', giving the illusion that the injury was heeling.)

After a week or two, every wrestling fan in the area was aware of the heated battle that had been touched off.

LES then appeared on the WBTV-CHARLOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING program hosted by BIG BILL WARD. During his interview with WARD (the interviews were always conducted in front of the ring apron), THE INFERNOS and DYKES were in the ring awaiting their match. At some point, while he was being questioned, LES was assaulted by one of the masked men (LES believes FRANKIE CAIN), who ripped at his injured face, causing THATCHER extreme pain and discomfort, thus (and pardon the pun) adding fuel to the fire. GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER came rushing to LES' aid, preventing even more damage.

During their tenure with JCP, J.C. DYKES often wrote a column in the weekly CHARLOTTE wrestling program which was handed out (or sold--- I can't recall which) entitled LIKES AND DISLIKES BY J.C. DYKES. During the time frame after LES was burned, a number of the DYKES articles were directed at young THATCHER for concocting such a ridiculous "lie" that J.C. had hit him with a fireball.

Later in the mid-70s, LES wrote an editorial in each issue of MID-ATLANTIC WRESTLING MAGAZINE entitled WRESTLER'S EYE VIEW. LES still uses that trademark to this day. But even before his editorials of the 1970s, LES originated that banner during this INFERNOS program. In a later-to-come 60 MINUTES POINT / COUNTERPOINT style, LES was given a rebuttal column in the programs giving his side of the 'burning" incident. (One will appear in tomorrow's wrap-up entry of this story.)

LES chases one of THE INFERNOS
during a CHARLOTTE PARK CENTER encounter.

NEXT...the final chapter...LES THATCHER GETS SATISFACTION.

* * * * * * * * * * *

PART FOUR - LES GETS SATISFACTION

There was no wrestling in CHARLOTTE, N.C. on December 18th, 1967 as JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS was on its CHRISTMAS break.

Therefore, the WBTV-CHARLOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING TV program which aired on Saturday, December 16th included the announcement of the annual WRESTLING card which would be held at the CHARLOTTE COLISEUM on CHRISTMAS night. This holiday card was always one of the top shows of the year and brought attention to the CHARLOTTE NEWS EMPTY STOCKING FUND, a charity to provide for the needy during the holidays. (The CHARLOTTE NEWS was, at the time, the evening newspaper of the Queen City, the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER was and still is the morning paper.)

Headlining the big holiday card was the match many had been hoping for...and none more than young LES THATCHER. The match would feature LES teaming with GEORGE BECKER and JOHNNY WEAVER opposing THE INFERNOS and, in the ring as a participant, manager J.C. DYKES in SIX MAN action.

LES went home to Ohio for a few days during his holiday break. Returning back to CHARLOTTE the day of the match, he was picked up at the airport by his good friend and wrestling 'cousin', ROGER KIRBY.

Roger Kirby

During the drive to his apartment, LES confided to KIRBY that he was nervous about the upcoming match, now just hours away. Nervous not because of his participation in the match, but rather because he feared if the crowd wasn't a good one, he would be blamed for the lower-than-expected attendance. THATCHER had worked main events while in Florida, but never in a building as large as the CHARLOTTE COLISEUM. And not on a wrestling card of this magnitude.

As it turned out, he need not have worried. Before the show started, while in the dressing room, JCP employee GEORGE HARBEN came in and said, "They're really pouring in."

At the end of the evening, the card had drawn the largest CHRISTMAS house for WRESTLING in CHARLOTTE to that time.

Finally, a chance for LES to even the score with the men who had injured him so badly. And here he was...teaming with the company's top twosome against a 'heel' team that drew big money wherever they worked.

Things went well for the 'good guys' that CHRISTMAS night. After splitting the first two falls, BECKER, WEAVER and THATCHER had DYKES a bloody mess when his men decided it was way too hot, even for INFERNOS. They grabbed their bludgeoned leader and headed for their dressing room, but before their getaway, one of the hooded 'heels' lost a most precious possession...his mask. Although his identity was concealed, this was the only instance I am aware that one of THE INFERNOS was unmasked while in the MID-ATLANTIC territory.

Referee SAM 'LUCKY' ROBERTS raises the hands of BECKER, WEAVER and THATCHER after DYKES and THE INFERNOS deserted the ring. Look closely at THATCHER's right hand and you'll see a just-removed INFERNO mask, quite a holiday stocking stuffer.

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, December 26th

The LIKE AND DISLIKES column which appeared in the CHARLOTTE PARK CENTER wrestling program
the week after the CHRISTMAS night match...

....and LES THATCHER's response in the same program.

A four-month program came to a close CHRISTMAS night of 1967. This 'feud' was a great example of how to create, build and sell a program to the fans that was both believable as well as entertaining (something sorely lacking in today's product).

And as LES has said, "It was one of the highlights of my entire career."

- Mike Cline

Mid-Atlantic Grapplin' Greats

* * * * * * *

Credits at the end of Mike Cline's Original article: My thanks to my very good friends DICK BOURNE of the MID-ATLANTIC GATEWAY and CARROLL HALL for their research assistance and to a true gentleman, LES THATCHER, for sharing his personal reflections on this wonderful look back to some great days of the wrestling business. ● Illustrations from wrestling programs courtesy of DICK BOURNE. ● Photographs of LES THATCHER from his personal collection and used with his permission.

* * * * * * *

Gateway Notes: Our special thanks to Mike Cline for allowing us to publish this story in its entirety here on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway. It's one of our favorites. Les Thatcher is one of our favorites, too.